Track Party–Season 1 Finale

I wish WordPress didn’t have a “Save as Draft” option.  Maybe I’d actually finish a post in one sitting.  This was started Tuesday, promptly after returning from (to be discussed) track session.  It’s now Friday and I’m in a seat on an OH-bound Delta flight.

Woops?

Today Yesterday was my last track workout of Ragnar/Eugene training.

SAD.

Track Party Finale womp womp.

I’ve really grown to love these buttcrack-early Tuesday workouts with Margot (and sometimes Madison and Rebecca).  Having a new workout to challenge me each week has been incredibly motivating, and I HUGELY credit that spicing up my training for staving off burnout this cycle.

Also due credit?  Reviving the competitive athlete inside me I thought died after I hung up my cleats four years ago.

Thank you, track party.  Thank you, track friends.  And thank you, legs – I knew you had a little something in ya itching to get out.

Despite [always] cursing myself when the alarm goes off, I [always] get a little pep in my step once I actually set foot on the oval.

Time to run fast!

Being the beginning of taper,  I didn’t want a real ass-busting workout.  Some kind of speed/tempo hybrid I guess. 

Since I can’t kick my addiction for “fast and short” we settled on 5×1000 with 200m recovery jogs.  Usually for intervals I’d take a full (standing) rest between sets, so keeping the legs moving and heart rate up this time made it challenging despite the (slightly) slower pace.

Can I take a second to laugh at “slower pace”?

Bahahahahahaa.

If you would have asked me three months ago if I ever thought I’d see a 6:xx on Garmin, let alone consider it an “easy pace” of ANY sort, I would have told you to go to hell.

Seriously.  Sub7, just nice and easy.  NBD.

((( #trackboner )))

I have LOVED seeing my progress at the track each week.  No doubt that’s the main reason behind my love for these Tuesday sweat sessions.  We didn’t repeat many workouts – part of the fun is doing something “exciting!” and “new!” and “no expectations because I’ve never done this before!” – but the improvements are obvious, even if you can’t match up workout-by-workout times.

I’m more confident.  I don’t have to chase Margot anymore – she can do her own thing and I can rely on myself to set and hold my paces.  I don’t freak out and put on the brakes when I see a pace faster than I “should” be at during other runs, because I’ve learned what it feels like to push through the discomfort and hang on “just a little bit longer!”

And how badass it feels afterwards when you do.

I’m a better runner because of the track.  In many ways.  If I wore one of those heart rate things it’d probably tell you something number’y to prove that.  But since I can’t ever remember to do that, you’ll just have to take my word for it.

Or we’ll just have to let the (hopefully forthcoming) PRs speak for themselves.  :)

Last LR of the spring tomorrow.  12 miles somewhere in Central Ohio, then it’s officially race week.  Ragnar, you’ve been a long time coming.  I’m kind of peeing myself now that you’re finally here.

Sarah OUaL

   *   Safe travels and good luck to all you Bostonians – rest up, carb up, and quit stalking weather.com!  And extra good luck to SR at your second Ganssett/Boston double.  You’re a lunatic.  See ya in the van.

– And also it’s now 11:30 est and I’m in a hotel. Finally hitting publish. A+ blogger. –